Instructions for Building a Pantry Closet

Enclose the space you've chosen for the pantry closet. Nailing 2-by-4-inch studs on the floor creates the room’s outline. Install corresponding 2-by-4s by nailing them to the ceiling joists.

Nailing 2-by-4-inch studs 16 inches apart to these top and bottom plates builds the pantry closet’s walls

Install drywall sheets to the pantry closet’s interior and exterior. Cover the nail heads and seams between drywall sheets with drywall mud and tape.

Prime and paint the drywall with a roller and roller pan.

Cover the floor with vinyl sheet linoleum or tiles. These products are easy to keep clean and last for decades in a pantry with low amounts of foot traffic.

Hang an interior door set, which is a door already hung with a frame. Simply remove the pins in the hinges, set the door aside and install the doorframe in the door opening, following the manufacturer's specifications. Reinstall the door by reinserting the hinge pins.

Build shelves on the inside of the pantry closet. Use 2-by-6-inch lumber to build a ladderlike frame for the end braces. Set 2-by-4-inch lumber side by side on each ladder step creating the individual shelves. Particleboard or plywood is not sturdy enough for shelves that store heavy cans, jars and bottles of food. Using 2-by-4-inch dimensional lumber for the shelves greatly reduces the possibility of the shelves sagging or breaking under the weight of the stored food.

Install a battery-operated light fixture with a motion sensor on/off switch just inside the door. This eliminates the need for expensive electrical wiring. The motion sensor automatically turns the light on and off when you shop for food in your pantry closet.